Two schools in Indiana offer training in HVAC technology: Ivy Tech Community College and Fortis College at Indianapolis. Ivy Tech Community College offers training at seven campus locations: Bloomington, Indianapolis, Muncie, Lafayette, Sellersburg, Evansville and Richmond.
Fortis College offers a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration technician program. Ivy Tech Community College provides several certification options ranging from 32 or 50 hours to 32 weeks in duration.
HVAC training in Indiana focuses on hands-on development of technological skills with some foundational and theoretical instruction. The HVAC and refrigeration technician program at Fortis College provides classroom and laboratory instruction in commercial refrigeration, gas heat, air conditioning, heat pumps and computerized diagnostics. Ivy Tech Community College offers an HVAC and refrigeration technician program consisting of coursework in electrical theory, heating fundamentals, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, heating and cooling service and heat pumps. Individual certification courses also are available in building management systems, air conditioning, carbon monoxide, commercial air conditioning, commercial refrigeration, electric heat, electrical systems, heat pumps and oil heat.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor projects that employment of HVAC technicians was expected to increase by about 28 percent from 2008 through 2018. Professional heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn between $14.94 and $24.84 an hour.